, 1887-03-03

IsupcrNistu tnc l)luHllnS o. NcsselS OF
war which were to be Guilt on the Pa
citic, and that he sent out officers and
sailors who made with the greatest
difficulty and exposure, the long Jour-
ney across Asia. They built those yes
sells and launched them, and from that
time until Mr.. Bayard's decision those
northern seas have been considered
private property OF Russia, which
made over to the United States all
those rights she had proclaimed and
lguarded.
"Now, the fact is that by Mr.. Bay
ards decision the fur seal business is
lgoing to be destroyed. For the past
two or three years British and other
predatory vessels have made their way
into those waters and have, without
landing on the islands shot and cap
tured the seals as they were making
their way through the waters and
shoals. The fur seals are exceedingly
timid, and il annoyed they leave the
place they have frequented and go
and find another breeding ground.
The British vessels were seized and
condemned in our courts for this kind
of trespass, IT is true that the British
government protested against their
seizure, but Mr.. Bayard gave the ves-
sells up without taking into consdera-
ton the much larger question of
American jurisdiction"
elbow much do those fur seal islands
pay the United States every year?'
"They pay half a million dollars.
When the lessees OF the islands kill up
TO the limit, which is 100000 seals, the
government gets some 100000 di-
rectly; the company pays $4,000 n
year in the first place, and after that
between $2 and SO for every skin they
get. These skins all have to be dyed
and dressed in England, and when
they come back to the United States
they pay 20 per cent. duty, which
makes the other 100000. We paid
81 900 900 for Alaska and we have re-
ceived more than that amount of
money back already out OF this one
possession. Alaska, therefore, has
not cost the United States anything
up to this time.
'"Why are these skins not brought to
the United States and cured and
dyed?"
because there are only three per-
sons in the world who know how to
prepare them. The fur seal is hairy
animal and in color is not much diff
ferent from II rabbit, being u kind of
grayish animal. All the hair has to
be taken from those skins SO that the
skin or fur proper is brought to light.
Then they are all dyed one color and
But the Alaska Com
mercial Company has small interest,
com mparatively, at present in this ques-
tion, because the lease ends in 1870,
and has only three more years to run.
The other question Of exclusive Ameri-
can possession of those waters will
lead to international troubles which
ito purohaee OF Alaska was designed
to prevent"
"Is this law OF exclusive govern
ment control Of certain seas of long
standing?"
ayes, it goes back to Grotius, who
wrote while jamestown, Va, was be-
ing settled in 1909. At that time the
Spanish and Portuguese claimed ex-
elusive rights in navigation and fish
cries on both the Atlantic and Pacific
Oceans on the ground of
Papal grants and discoveries
and possessions Grotius brought
into the domain of International law
that subject, and another writer named
Gentillis at once asserted British SOW
ereignty ever the British seas. Fora long
time the Dutch had to haul down their
flags in the British Channels when an
English vessel came by. Another
named Sarpi asserted the claim of
Venice to the dominion of the Adri-
attic sea. Selden, another English
writer, asserted the authority OF the
King of England over the sea as far
as the shores OF Norway, and Lord
Hale sustained him. Finally the ma
tions of Europe conceded the empire
Of England the right over her high
seas, and James /. refused to give per-
mission to any foreign vessels to p"r-
sue their enemies within certain boun-
darics of the British seas. Following
the British rule, the United States have
made it All oficnsc to tranship foreign
goods within four leagues of the coast,
and the Supreme court OF the United
States has held this To be consistent
International law. In short. the pres
ent position of nearly all countries is
that each state can assert jurisdic-
ton seaward to the extent OF its abili-
ty to maintain that jurisdiction from
the shores"
"Is there any other law particularly
referring to what are called closed or
inland seas?'
"Yes the Romans made the Medit-
eranean closed sea. The Americans
hold that waters like the Chesapeake
bay, Albemarle sound, and Boston
harbor are closed and are national
property. Behring sea is as destinct
nm Identification as the Chesapeake
bay. The Russians closed Behring
sea, with territories on both sides, and,
therefore, they claimed it to be private
waters, and when they. parted with